Background*

Mr. Samuel Zell, also known as Sam, J.D., is Founder and Chairman at Equity International. Mr. Zell helped Equity International lead the monetization of real estate companies in Brazil, Mexico and China, in-country and on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Zell co-founded Equity International in 1999. He is particularly active with Equity International’s publicly held portfolio companies. He has been the General Partner at ERP Operating LP since March 1993. Mr. Zell is ... the Founder of Equity Residential. He is a Co-Founder at Equity Group Investments and serves as its Chairman. He served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Capsure Holdings Corp., since October 15, 1987. Mr. Zell served as the Interim Chief Executive Officer of Equity International. He works at SeaEnergy PLC. Mr. Zell served as the Chief Executive Officer at Manufactured Home Communities Inc. from March 1995 to August 1996. He co-founded Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. in 1997. He served as the President of Great American Management & Investment Inc from 1990 to 1994 and its Chief Executive Officer from 1983 to February 1994. He served as the President and Chief Executive Officer at Equity Group until November 1994 and Chief Executive Officer Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. from 1995 to February 1996. Mr. Zell served as the Chief Executive Officer at Tribune Company from December 2007 to December 02, 2009 and also served as its President. He served as an Interim Chief Executive Officer of Tribune Company from April 2002 to April 2003 and served as its Interim President. Mr. Zell served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Covanta Holding Corporation from July 24, 2002 to April 2004. He served as the President of Equity Office Properties Trust and a General Partner at EOP Operating LP from April 2002 to November 2002. Mr. Zell has been the Chairman of Jacor Communications Company since April 1997 and as its Director since 1993. He serves as the Chairman of the Tribune Corporation. Mr. Zell has been the Chairman of the Board of Covanta Holding Corporation since September 2005. He has been the Chairman of the Board at Manufactured Home Communities Inc. since March 1995. He has been the Chairman at Anixter International Inc., and Anixter Aerospace Hardware since 1985 and has been their Director since 1984. He serves as Chairman of Great American Mgt./Inv and has been its Director since 1980. He has been the Chairman of Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc., since March 1995 and also serves as its Director. He had been the Chairman of the Board at Align Aerospace LLC since 1985 and has been its Director since 1984. Mr. Zell has been the Chairman of Equity Residential Properties Trust since March 1993 and also serves as its Director. He is also the Chairman of Equity Commonwealth. He has been Chairman of the Board at Covanta Energy Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd. since September 2005 and also serves as its Director. He served as Chairman of The Tribune Company since December 2007 and also served as its Director since May 9, 2007. He served as a Co-Chairman of Manufactured Home Communities Inc. since its formation until March 1995. He served as the Chairman of Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. from July 1997 to December 19, 2012 and as its Director until December 19, 2012. He served as Co-Chairman of the Board at CVS Revco D.S., Inc. He was the Chairman of Danielson Holding Corp. since July 24, 2002 and its Director from 1999 to October 5, 2004. Mr. Zell served as the Chairman of Rewards Network Inc. until September 2005 and also as its Director from 2002 to September 2005. He served as the Chairman of AM-CH, Inc. since May 1998 and as its Director since 1997. He served as the Chairman and Trustee of Equity Office Properties Trust since October 1996. He served as the Chairman of Broadway Stores, Inc. since March 04, 1993 and as its Director since 1992. He served as the Chairman of the Board of American Classic Voyages Co from 1984 to 1988. He served as the Chairman of American Classic Voyages Co. since August 1993 and as its Director since 1980. He serves as the Chairman of CommonWealth REIT and serves as its Trustee since May 23, 2014. He has been a Director of Fred Meyer, Inc. since 1998. He has been a Director of Quality Food Centers, Inc. since March 29, 1995. He serves on the JPMorgan National Advisory Board. He served as a Member of Advisory Board - International at Eurohypo AG. He served as Member of Advisory Board - International at Hypothekenbank Frankfurt Aktiengesellschaft. He served as a Director of Mobile Home Communities Inc. from 1983 until its dissolution in 1993. He served as a Director of Davel Communications Inc. He served as a Director of Capsure Holdings Corp. since August 13, 1986. He served as a Director of The Associated Press, Inc. from April 2008 to April 14, 2011. Mr. Zell is on the President’s Advisory Board at the University of Michigan; and with the combined efforts of the University of Michigan Business School, he established the Zell/Lurie Entrepreneurial Center. Mr. Zell also funded the Zell Scholars Program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He created the Zell Entrepreneurship Center at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya. And, he is a Governor of the Urban Land Institute Foundation. He is a Founding Board Member of Samuel Zell and Robert Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. His continual assistance to Michigan’s M.B.A. program has also enhanced the Business School’s Polish Studies Program. Mr. Zell was appointed a DeRoy Visiting Professor in Honors at the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan. He is a frequent contributor of articles to various publications and is often heard as keynote speaker throughout the United States and Europe. He obtained a J.D. degree in 1966 and a B.A. degree in Political Science in 1963 from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Mr. Zell is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Michigan Law School.

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